structured assembler (BASIC) [Really: C builtin functions?]

[Joseph S. D. Yao]

In article <6584 at utzoo.UUCP> henry at utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) writes:
>[unattributed]
>> ... but sizeof qualifies as a builtin function, 
>> even though it is a compile-time function vs run-time.   Anyone disagree?
>Fraid so.  Sizeof is an *operator*, which can (but does not have to be)
>invoked with a function-like syntax.  ...

Any operator which maps its args into a unique value in its range
defines an operation which is a function.  Just because you can
say a + b doesn't mean that (plus a b) [resp., plus(a, b)] is not
a function.  Similarly, sizeof(i), whether or not you use parens
(and I always do) is an operator which, of course, is a function.

Were you talking about details of implementation, perhaps?
-- 

	Joe Yao		hadron!jsdy at seismo.{CSS.GOV,ARPA,UUCP}